Monitor for particles of various materials

Abstract

A monitor for particles of various materials which counts the number of the particles on real-time and in situ basis. The monitor comprises a unit for illuminating an object to be inspected with an illumination light beam of a predetermined cross-sectional area, a unit for detecting a change in optical mode of the illumination light beam caused by the particles being contained in the inspected object and illuminated with the illumination light beam, the illuminating and detecting units being of a unitary structure, and a unit for counting an amount of the particles contained in the inspected object by using a change in intensity of an optically mode changed light beam.

We claim: 
     
       1. A monitor for particles of various materials comprising: means for illuminating a liquid medium to be inspected with an illumination light beam of a predetermined cross-sectional area in a predetermined direction, said illuminating means including a bundle of optical fibers piled up vertically and having the longitudinal axes thereof extending substantially parallel to one another so as to transmit illuminating light beams therealong, and a rod lens disposed proximate to ends of the bundle of optical fibers for forming the illuminating light beams emitted from the bundle of optical fibers into said illumination light beam of the predetermined cross-sectional area in the predetermined direction;   means for detecting a change in said illumination light beam illuminated in the predetermined direction caused by the particles contained in the inspected liquid medium in a direction substantially perpendicular to the predetermined direction, the detecting means including a rod lens for collecting beams of light from the particles in the direction substantially perpendicular to the predetermined direction of said illuminating light beam, a bundle of optical fibers piled up vertically and having the longitudinal axes thereof extending substantially parallel to one another, ends of the bundled optical fibers being disposed proximate to the rod lens for receiving the collected light therefrom, and a detector for detecting the light from the bundle of optical fibers, said illuminating means and said detecting means being of a unitary structure; and   means for counting an amount of the particles contained in the inspected liquid medium by using a change in intensity of the changed light beam.   
     
     
       2. The monitor according to claim 1, wherein said illumination light beam is a light beam modulated in intensity with a predetermined frequency, and said detector includes means for phase detecting the changed light beam by using the frequency. 
     
     
       3. The monitor according to claim 1, wherein the changed light beam is represented by one of a scattering light beam from the particles, a fluorescence beam from the particles and a transmitted light beam which decreases in intensity when said illumination light beam is stopped by the particles. 
     
     
       4. The monitor according to claim 1, wherein each of said illuminating means and detecting means is covered, at its surface exposed to the liquid medium being inspected, with fluorine contained polymer. 
     
     
       5. The monitor according to claim 1, wherein the changed light beam is a scattering light beam from the particles. 
     
     
       6. The monitor according to claim 1, wherein the changed light beam is a fluorescence beam from the particles.